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John Higgins v David Gilbert: World Snooker Championship 2019 Semi-Final preview - Higgins eyeing three in a row

John Higgins aims to book his place in a third consecutive World Championship final by ending the ground-breaking run of David Gilbert at The Crucible.

Higgins has fallen agonisingly short at the final hurdle in his last two visits to Sheffield, but now has another chance at redemption in his quest to become a five-time World Champion.

The Scot has put a difficult season by his own high standards to one side and has thrived once again in the pressure cooker that is The Crucible Theatre, storming into his tenth Semi-Final.

The number five seed averted an early banana skin by defeating Mark Davis 10-7 in Round One, before dispatching 2015 champion Stuart Bingham 13-11 and 2010 champion Neil Robertson 13-10 to reach the hallowed one-table setup.

Higgins has won each of his last six World Championship Semi-Finals stretching back to 2000 and will look to draw upon his vast experience against a player thrust into the one-table setup on the sport's greatest stage for the first time.

Gilbert, the world number 16, has enjoyed a remarkable Crucible campaign so far, having previously won just one match in four appearances as a qualifier.

The Tamworth ace has continued the landmark form which has led him to two ranking finals this season and is now dreaming of pulling off the ultimate triumph on Monday.

He began his run with a 10-7 win over Joe Perry before dethroning defending champion Mark Williams 13-9 in the Last 16 and going on to deny Kyren Wilson with a superb 13-8 victory.

Gilbert won his most recent meeting with Higgins at the 2017 World Open, ending a run of four straight defeats, including the 2015 International Championship final in which the Scot triumphed 10-5.

Their best of 33 encounter gets underway from 1pm BST on Thursday for a total of nine frames, resuming at 10am and 7pm on Friday before being played to a finish from 2.30pm on Saturday.

Either 2011 world finalist Judd Trump or former China Open finalist Gary Wilson will await the winner in the final on Sunday.